Marigold and zinnia seedlings just beginning to get their first true leaves.

Orange marigolds on either side of white chamomile.

From Theresa:

This year's seeds are starting to sprout! I check the greenhouse every day to see who has come up... after which I announce to Bear how many new seedlings we have... and he says, "The proud Momma..."

The photos to the left are annual marigolds and zinnias. Rationally, I still include them in my garden because zinnias are good for beneficial insects and marigolds outlast other flowers to bloom in the Fall. But emotionally, I probably really I grow them because I think they were the the first plants I grew from seed in my first garden. My memories are vague- I was probably only about 6 years old. My father dug me a small garden bed in the yard of the house we rented, and edged it with bricks. I remember both my parents helping me plant seeds into the really black soil. Then I remember the plants growing to what seems like huge sizes. They were full of beautiful blooms in so many colors...

My father became an alcoholic, after suffering from his own unhappy childhood, and my positive memories of him are few and precious. Perhaps the good memories of this first flower garden are what got me into gardening. Or it could be genetic, since both my grandfathers were farmers at some point in their lives.

This year's marigold and zinnia seedlings sprouted in one day, which make for very gratifying gardening. Other seeds have been slower... only 3 of the 12 milk vetch seeds have come up. I am hoping others will make an appearance soon, because they are for our permaculture gardens. They are perennial plants that fix nitrogen, which fertilizes other nearby plants without any extra work from me. They also have pretty flowers and edible seed pods (not all vetches are edible- I've planted Astragulus crassicarpus). Very multipurpose and hopefully very yummy.